Army museum shows art of war in Dien Bien (April 26, 2004)

Them’s fighting words: Visitors check out the bookstalls on Book Street. The exhibit, which runs until Sunday, includes 20 stalls showcasing the works of 11 publishers. — VNS Photo Truong Vi.

HA NOI — An exhibition of art, literature and reportage that opened last Friday in the capital city has added another hue to the nationwide celebration of the Dien Bien Phu victory.
The display, entitled Dien Bien Phu through Literature, Art and Journalism, is held at the Army History Museum.
Divided into four sections, it showcases fine arts works created since 2003, literary works and articles, motion pictures, as well as recently found items.
The highlight of the exhibition is the selection of about 50 objects from the thousand or so held by the museum.
Among them are iron bowls, water bottles and shovels used by soldiers during the battle at Hill A1 (Eliena 2) in Dien Bien Phu. There are also touching pages from the diaries kept by soldiers before battle.
The fine arts section features 93 paintings, 10 sculptures and 13 posters, praising the bravery of soldiers who died in the historic battle. The exhibition also presents 145 books, 17 collections of articles and documentaries about Dien Bien.
On the occasion, the museum has also created Book Street: 50 Years of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, which displays thousands of books about the battle, Dien Bien today, the life and times of late President Ho Chi Minh and the cultural and scientific achievements of Ha Noi. — VNS
Reprinted with permission from Vietnam News Agency